In this SOHH exclusive,Written by Danica Dow --Real and Chance dish about the contestants on their VH1 reality show "Real Chance of Love," discuss their music and reveal what's next with their Stallionaire movement.Though Real and Chance first gained fame competing for the affections of Tiffany Pollard on the reality show,"I Love New York," the brothers say they never fought over females when they were growing up."Nah, we never competed for girls," Real said. "There was times that I found out
[Chance] was sneaking around humping my girls on the bed but you know
that's a whole 'nother story," But that changed when VH1 decided to move 15 ladies into a
ranch to
compete for the attention of the brothers. Now, they're about half way
through the season of their reality show, "Real Chance of Love" and the
brothers think that they just might find women that they can spend
their lives with."It's looking like it," said Chance. "It's very possible man. I am a lover boy. Its not too hard for me to love."Though he still has a few good candidates on the ranch, Chance told SOHH that he regrets getting rid of the girl that he dubbed So Hood. "I kept a couple of these meatballs
and tuna sandwiches around and got rid of my dog. She may have chased
me around the house a little bit. She may even pulled knives on me but
you know what at the end of the day she was just being So Hood. God
dammit. I miss So Hood."On the other hand, Real has developed a deep connection with an older contestant named Milf.
She's not a favorite among viewers of the show but Real doesn't care.
"A lot of people think she looks like Sean Penn," said Real. "They're
telling me a lot of people don't like her. They think she's too old.
But it is what it is."Even if the brothers don't find love on this season of "Real Chance
of Love," they see the show as an opportunity to promote the music
group they have with their brother Mike called The Stallionaires."Its just another stepping stone to a career," said Chance."We're like U2," added Real. "You gon' see The Stallionaires
together until the end of our careers. We perform together. We do
music together. My brother Mike he produces all the music and we're
actually producing his show right now, me and Chance." SOURCE:SOHH.COM

Talk to the chief executives of America's preeminent health-care
institutions, and you might be surprised by what you hear: When it
comes to medical care, the United States isn't getting its money's
worth. Not even close. "We're not getting what we pay for," says Denis Cortese, president and chief executive of the Mayo Clinic. "It's just that simple." "Our health-care system is fraught with waste," says Gary Kaplan,
chairman of Seattle's cutting-edge Virginia Mason Medical Center. As
much as half of the $2.3 trillion spent today does nothing to improve
health, he says. Not only is American health care inefficient and wasteful, says Kaiser Permanente chief executive George Halvorson, much of it is dangerous. Those harsh assessments illustrate the enormousness of the challenge that awaits President-elect Barack Obama,
who campaigned on the promise to trim the average American family's
health-care bill by $2,500 a year. Delivering on that pledge will not
be easy, particularly at a time when the economic picture continues to
worsen. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus
(D-Mont.) has already warned that improving and expanding health care
will cost money in the short run -- money that his Republican
counterpart, Sen. Charles E. Grassley (Iowa), argues the government does not have. Yet among physicians, insurers, academics and corporate executives from
across the ideological spectrum, there is remarkably broad consensus on
what ought to be done.A high-performance 21st-century health system, they say, must revolve
around the central goal of paying for results. That will entail
managing chronic illnesses better, adopting electronic medical records,
coordinating care, researching what treatments work best, realigning
financial incentives to reward success, encouraging prevention
strategies and, most daunting but perhaps most important, saying no to
expensive, unproven therapies."There is more than enough money in the system," said former House speaker Newt Gingrich, who runs the District-based Center for Health Transformation. "We just are not spending it well."The United States today devotes 16 percent of its gross domestic
product to medical care, more per capita than any other nation in the
world. Yet numerous measures indicate the country lags in overall
health: It ranks 29th in infant mortality, 48th in life expectancy and
19th out of 19 industrialized nations in preventable deaths.One way to reconfigure health spending is to shift large sums into
prevention and wellness, said Reed Tuckson, a physician and executive
vice president at UnitedHealth Group
in Minneapolis. The idea is to tackle the handful of preventable,
chronic illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes that account for
75 percent of health-care costs.Each year, for example, the United States spends $450 billion
treating heart and artery disease. The "good news," Tuckson said, is
that former certain killers such as heart attacks, strokes and
aneurysms can now be treated. But the price -- of maintenance drugs,
ongoing tests and procedures such as stents -- is high. It would be
wiser, he argued, to attack underlying problems such as smoking,
diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.CONTINUE READING...

EXCERPT FROM ADVOCATE.COM -- Monday, December
1 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, and on
the eve of Barack Obama’s inauguration, AIDS
educators and health professionals the world over are
looking forward to a new direction and renewed
dedication to fighting the world epidemic.Though much of
the focus on AIDS has shifted to Africa over the past
several years, stateside, after years of making great
strides toward reducing new infections, in 2006, the
Center for Disease Control reported a 40% increase in
new infections. Fifty-three percent of cases were among
men who have sex with men -- the rate of new infections in
the African American community rose by more than 40
percent.AIDS educators --
perhaps predicting a dramatic shift in leadership in
this country -- got off to an ambitious start toward turning
those numbers back around in June when the second
annual “Test 1 Million” event in Los
Angeles vowed to test one million black Americans for HIV
before World AIDS Day.That number
caught on with educators around the globe. Earlier this
week, the AIDS Healthcare foundation -- which provides
services to nearly 100,000 people in the U.S., Africa,
Asia and Latin America -- launched their
campaign… one million tests on World AIDS Day alone.Countries
worldwide will take place in this year’s World AIDS
Day in various ways.South Africans
will observe a 15 minute moment of silence to reflect on
the estimated 70,000 children who are born in Africa each
year with HIV.In San Francisco,
General Hospital -- home to the oldest AIDS treatment
program in the United States -- will gather speakers and
politicians to commemorate the 25 years the hospital
has spent fighting the disease, and announce a renewed
commitment to finding a cure.Carol Bergman,
acting director of the Global AIDS Alliance, said that
this year, all eyes are on Obama to see if he can stand
behind the $50 million over five years he promised to
fight AIDS on a global level.“Obama
comes into office having made a number of specific
commitments, including on HIV prevention. He, along
with Vice President-Elect Joe Biden and Senator
Hillary Clinton, the likely next US Secretary of State,
signed a pledge on this
issue,” Bergman said in a statement. For more on World
AIDS Day and events around the world, visit www.WorldAIDSCampaign.org.

Nothing but the blues: In the tradition of "Ray" and
"Walk the Line," the music biopic most likely to get tongues wagging
this fall is "Cadillac Records." Focused on the Chicago blues scene
circa 1955, the movie tells the true story of record-label impresario Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) and his stable of groundbreaking musicians, including Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright), Chuck Berry (Mos Def), Little Walter (Columbus Short) and Etta James (Beyoncé Knowles).To reinvent vintage recordings of "At Last," "I'm Your Hoochie
Coochie Man," "Nadine," "I'm a Man" and other R&B classics,
director Darnell Martin recruited drummer Steve Jordan as the film's music producer."The main thing was to get the feel right, to make sure we had
goose-bumps moments," Jordan says. "It's not about re-creating the
exact notes at a certain tempo. We wanted the music to affect you like
the first time you heard the real stuff. It's about the vibe."Jordan, who has worked with Neil Young, John Mayer, Solomon Burke and Keith Richards,
assembled a core unit of blues-drenched musicians to channel the
performances of Chess Records' pioneering artists. His first hire:
harmonica player Kim Wilson of the Fabulous Thunderbirds."Kim is basically Little Walter reincarnated," Jordan says. "He's
the only one who can capture the feel, the soul, the sound, the
relentless, incredible virtuosity that you hear in Little Walter's
playing. It's part of Kim's DNA."Knowles, who executive-produced "Cadillac Records," jumped at the
chance to play troubled but gifted singer James. Jordan modeled his
approach for Knowles' part on "Lady Sings the Blues.""There's only one Billie Holiday, so it would have been ridiculous for Diana Ross to
imitate Billie's singing style," he says of that 1972 film. "It was the
same thing here: You don't want to stifle a great vocalist by having
Beyoncé try to sing like Etta James. We wanted her to sing like
Beyoncé, but with the sensibility of the music from that period.
Learning about Etta James and her life was, I think, a revelation for
Beyoncé."Taking its title from the Cadillacs that Chess gave artists when
they made hit records, the film dramatizes a blurry line between
exploitation and collaboration."Some people might say, 'Oh, he ripped them off.' Who knows what
really happened, but at least you had a forum," Jordan says. "During
this period, black people couldn't use certain water fountains or sit
on a certain side of the bus. The fact that these incredible innovators
and inventors could record their music and have it be heard - that's
the one thing that comes out in it. The songs got recorded and it
influenced generations of musicians, and we're talking about it today.
We sent Chuck Berry's music to Mars."SOURCE:SFGATE.COM

November 29, 2008

This time last year, anyone attempting to divine the Oscar nominees
would have had a lot more to go on. "No Country for Old Men," "Michael
Clayton," "Into the Wild," "Eastern Promises," "Away From Her," "La Vie
en Rose" and "In the Valley of Elah" were all already in release. Other
potential nominees such as "Atonement" and "Juno" had played festivals,
leaving a trail of reviews to aid one in prognosticating. This time around reels of the most likely Oscar nominees are locked
in a vault somewhere in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Oscar buzz for earlier
releases such as "W." and "Rachel Getting Married" is barely audible
anymore. The perception that this is an off year for movies could
change once the studios march out their top-of-the-line product.Here's how the Oscar race is shaping up. Potential nominees are in
alphabetical order. Nominations will be announced Jan. 22, and the 81st
annual Academy Awards will take place a month later to the day.

BEST PICTURE

FROST/NIXON: All the interest in politics this year
should give this drama a push at Oscar nomination time. Ron Howard
directs an intricate conversation between British TV commentator David
Frost and disgraced President Richard Nixon. We're guessing academy
voters will be engaged, not put off, by the film's intellectual tone.

THE DARK KNIGHT: In recent years, smaller films
such as "Crash" and "No Country for Old Men" have captured the
best-picture prize. Studios are making a big push this year to go back
to the days when huge, popular movies were Oscar winners. "The Dark
Knight" is most likely to benefit from a marketing boost since, besides
making more than $400 million, it is an elegantly crafted piece of
cinema.

DOUBT: Although set in the 1960s, the movie has
subject matter - a priest in trouble for possible molestation - that is
as topical as ever. With John Patrick Shanley directing, you can be
sure nobody messed with the words of his award-winning play.

MILK: Deserving of a nomination for telling the
story of slain San Francisco politician Harvey Milk. Led by Sean Penn
in the title role, the acting is extraordinary. But the film could be
hurt by a bias against smaller films with a gritty indie feel.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD: Academy members who are fond of
"Mad Men" are likely to be drawn to this movie set in a similar milieu
around the same time. A troubled marriage catches people's attention
because it makes their own unions look not so bad. Director Sam Mendes
proved that he has a touch for this kind of story with "American
Beauty."

BEST ACTOR

RICHARD JENKINS for "The Visitor": The consummate
supporting actor, Jenkins is finally given a leading role at age 60,
and he hits one out of the park. He plays a widower who discovers he
has rhythm.

FRANK LANGELLA for "Frost/Nixon": Academy members
might want to make it up to Langella for being cheated out of a
nomination last year for "Starting Out in the Evening." He brings
humanity to Richard Nixon. You actually end up liking the guy.

SEAN PENN for "Milk": The main concern about Penn
playing Milk is that he wouldn't be able to capture the politician's
lighter side. But Penn proved to be wonderful at being silly.

BRAD PITT for "The Curious Case of Benjamin
Button": Academy members like to watch actors distort their faces and
bodies. So Pitt is sure to engender interest for playing a man born in
his 80s who grows younger. The only time he was a nominee was more than
a decade ago, for "Twelve Monkeys," and he and the mother of his
children would be most welcome at the 2009 ceremonies, adding their
flash of glamour.

MICKEY ROURKE for "The Wrestler:" Score some extra
points for Rourke for a comeback that has all of Hollywood buzzing.
Once a romantic lead, he disappeared for years, only to regain
attention by playing a wrestler trying to make a comeback. His face and
body are bruised for real, but he has never seemed so emotionally
accessible.

BEST ACTRESS

CATE BLANCHETT:

Early reviews talk about how essential Blanchett's
character is in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button." She is Brad
Pitt's romantic interest, the force that keeps him going through his
very strange trajectory from an old man to a young one. Blanchett is
already an academy favorite.

ANNE HATHAWAY in "Rachel Getting Married": The
movie disappeared without a trace. But the memory of Hathaway as a
young woman fresh out of rehab and hell-bent on spoiling her sister's
wedding lingers. A backlash against indie films could hurt Hathaway's
chances.

KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS in "I've Loved You So Long":
It takes a minute to adjust to her speaking French and a few minutes
more to her wearing no makeup. Then, suddenly, you realize that this is
acting - bare-bones and magical. It's a transformative performance and
would probably not only be nominated but also win, except for Kate
Winslet.

MERYL STREEP in "Doubt": She looks scary and acts
scary as the head nun in a parochial school. Streep doesn't try to get
you to like her character, only to accept that she is on the side of
God. This would be her 15th nomination. She beat Katharine Hepburn's
previous high of 12 five years ago. Now all Streep can do is top
herself.

KATE WINSLET in "Revolutionary Road" or "The
Reader": This actress, 33, with five nominations is a double threat for
a sixth. She could get it as a Nazi war criminal in "The Reader" or as
an unhappy 1950s housewife in "Revolutionary Road."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

JOSH BROLIN in "Milk": With most of the script
focusing on Milk, Brolin had to move quickly to present assassin Dan
White as a confused and complicated man. You may even feel sorry for
him.

ROBERT DOWNEY JR. in "Tropic Thunder": Another
beneficiary of the push by major studios to see their big-ticket movies
on the Oscar ballot. Downey has done better work, but not in blackface.

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN in "Doubt": As the priest
whose moral principles are in question, Hoffman holds his ground. He
also holds the screen - even opposite Streep.

HEATH LEDGER in "The Dark Knight": As the Joker,
Ledger's face of evil stays with you, and you wonder what it took out
of him to inhabit this monster. He will almost certainly win the Oscar,
but it will be a bittersweet victory for the late actor's family and
friends.

MICHAEL SHANNON in "Revolutionary Road": As the
mentally disturbed son of a suburban real estate agent, this young
Chicago stage actor is said to turn in a performance reminiscent of
Edward Norton's role in "Primal Fear."

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

AMY ADAMS in "Doubt": Each of her co-stars knows
where they think the truth lies. Adams wins us over by presenting her
young nun as riddled with doubt.

KATHY BATES in "Revolutionary Road": As a go-go
real estate agent, Bates sees the unhappiness in her clients' homes but
doesn't understand it. Her obliqueness is the strength of the
performance.

PENÉLOPE CRUZ in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona": Cruz
has been so miscast in Hollywood it's a pleasure to see what she is
capable of in a proper role, in this case the loony Spanish-shrieking
ex-wife of a lothario.

VIOLA DAVIS in "Doubt": As the mother of a boy who
possibly has been sexually abused, Davis tells Streep's principal off.
That alone should win her a nomination.

MARISA TOMEI in "The Wrestler": Tomei goes the full
12 rounds as a stripper who becomes Rourke's confidante and almost
girlfriend. The two make an odd but touching couple. Tomei is as naked
emotionally as she is physically.

More precisely, how much is it worth to someone who is coming to town for President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration in January and needs a place to stay? One three-bedroom house in suburban
Virginia is said to have gone for
$57,000 for inauguration week. A week at a four-bedroom in suburban
Maryland was listed at $60,000, though that, like other offerings, may
be wishful hinking.As Washington gears up for the historic
inauguration of the first African-American president, more than one
million people are expected to descend on the capital. The five-county metro area has 95,000 hotel rooms.You do the math. The demand for hotels outstripped the supply more than two months
before the Jan. 20 inauguration, not just in Washington and environs
but as far away as Pennsylvania and West Virginia; even campsites are
filling up. Some people are renting RVs; others are offering apartment
swaps.At this relatively late date, the chance of finding a warm
place to spend a cold January night (or two) within range of the
swearing-in may be largely a matter of luck — and the ability and
willingness to pay. But despair for would-be visitors has become an
entrepreneurial opportunity for locals. While many people who
own, rent or otherwise control sleeping space are packing in family and
friends without charge, many others smell profits and are auctioning
off their homes, rooms, sofas and even spots on the basement floor. All
of this enterprise has prompted complaints that some in the area are
exploiting the historic moment by price-gouging. Such high
prices are “barring earnest people who want to witness and participate
in something remarkable, positive, and promising” from coming to the
capital, wrote one poster on Craigslist, who had let out his or her home for “a very modest sum” and urged others to do the same. “Let’s act like we really do want it to be a democracy,” the poster wrote. But another poster responded that it costs money to rent out your house. Besides, this poster added: “Do I deserve to avail myself to a little
windfall profit from the smart investment I made and sacrifice for to
live so centrally? Darn right I do. So get over it.” One of the
highest prices obtained so far appears to be $57,000 for a week in a
three-bedroom home near Chantilly, Va., about 24 miles from Washington. Or at least that is what Keith Bell, a lawyer for the federal
government, said he was told by the lawyer who reviewed the contract
between the homeowner and the renter, who is coming from overseas. SOURCE:NYT.COM

November 28, 2008

An increasing number of countries worldwide are making spreading HIV a
crime, according to a new report from the International Planned
Parenthood Federation. Health officials fear the trend could undermine
gains made in fighting the AIDS pandemic and provoke a surge in cases.
Globally, about 33 million people are thought to have HIV and nearly 3
million people are newly infected every year. "If the law is applied badly, this could set us back and do incredible
damage," said Paul de Lay, an AIDS expert at the Joint United Nations
Program on HIV/AIDS, who was not involved in the report. De Lay said the laws could result in forced testing and drive the
epidemic underground as people hide their HIV status, allowing the
virus to spread unnoticed. According to Planned Parenthood, 58 countries worldwide have laws that
criminalize HIV or use existing laws to prosecute people for
transmitting the virus. Thirty-three more countries are considering
similar legislation. Since 2005 seven countries in West Africa have passed HIV laws. In
Benin simply exposing others to HIV is a crime, even if transmission
doesn't occur. And in Tanzania intentional transmission of the virus
can lead to life imprisonment. Many of the laws in Africa were passed after a meeting in Chad in 2004
sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the world's
biggest funder of AIDS programs, and attended by U.N. officials. "The U.N. was definitely remiss to allow this to happen," said Kevin
Osborne, a senior HIV adviser at IPPF and one of the report's authors. De Lay said UNAIDS found out about the meeting only after it happened. But poor countries aren't the only ones using these laws. In the United States 32 states have laws criminalizing HIV
transmission. Experts estimate that thousands of people have been
charged across the country with spreading HIV. Since 2001, 16 people in the United Kingdom have been prosecuted for spreading HIV. In 2005 a woman in Canada was charged with criminal negligence and
aggravated assault for passing HIV while pregnant to her baby. She did
not tell her doctors that she had the virus and did not receive the
medications necessary to prevent it from infecting her child. She was
given a six-month conditional sentence followed by three years of
probation. In countries like Britain, Canada, and the United States, which are
major donors of efforts to fight HIV in Africa, such cases are
particularly unfortunate, many experts say. CONTINUE READING...

More than a day after groups of gunmen descended on southern Mumbai
and carried out a string of highly-coordinated attacks targeting
"well-known symbols of India's prosperity and places where Westerners
and Israelis gather," as the Washington Postsummarizes,
government forces were still working to gain control. The attacks have
left at least 143 people dead, according to early morning wire reports,
and more than 300 injured. The New York Timeshighlights there are widespread fears the death toll would rise since people who escaped the hotels reported "stepping around bodies." It's still not known who was behind the attacks, although it's clear the gunmen were well prepared. The Los Angeles Timeshears word the militants "struck after months of reconnaissance during which they set up 'control rooms' in the targeted hotels." And the Wall Street Journalhears unconfirmed reports that the attackers had been renting an apartment for the past six months near the Jewish center that was attacked. USA Todayhighlights that whoever they were, the gunmen delivered
"an unmistakable message: This U.S.-friendly democracy of 1.2 billion
people has joined the front lines of the global war on terrorism." USAT goes
big with the attacks in Mumbai, but devotes its lead spot to a look at
how Iraqi government officials involved in corruption that has cost
billions of dollars to U.S. taxpayers have gone unpunished partly due
to an Iraqi amnesty law.
Although no one thinks it would be easy to pursue corruption charges in
Iraq, as a result of the law 690 corruption cases have been dismissed
and it has undermined efforts to make government officials accountable
for their actions. Around $18 billion, more than half of which came
from U.S. taxpayers, has vanished due to corruption. To continue reading, click here.

A worker was killed in the crush Friday after a throng of shoppers
eager for post-Thanksgiving bargains burst through the doors at a
suburban Wal-Mart, authorities said. At least four other people were injured, and the store in Valley Stream on Long Island was closed.
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in Bentonville, Ark., called the incident a
"tragic situation" and said the employee came from a temporary agency
and was doing maintenance work at the store.
"He was bum-rushed by 200 people," co-worker Jimmy Overby, 43, told
the Daily News. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled
and killed in front of me. They took me down too. ... I literally had
to fight people off my back."
Nassau County police said the 34-year-old worker was taken to a
hospital where he was pronounced dead at about 6 a.m. The man's name
was not released and the cause of death was not immediately known.
A police statement said shortly after the store's 5 a.m. opening
time, shoppers "physically broke down the doors, knocking (the worker)
to the ground."
A metal portion of the door was crumpled like an accordion.
Shoppers around the country lined up early outside stores in the
annual bargain hunting ritual known as Black Friday. Many stores open
early and stay open late, and some of the most dramatic bargains are
available in limited quantities.
Among the bargains offered by Wal-Mart for Friday were Samsung 50-inch high definition Plasma TVs for less than $800.
Witnesses told the Daily News that before the store was closed,
eager shoppers streamed past emergency crews as they worked furiously
to save the worker's life.
"They were working on him, but you could see he was dead," said Halcyon Alexander, 29. "People were still coming through."
A 28-year-old pregnant woman was taken to a hospital for
observation, and she and the unborn baby were both reported to be OK,
said Sgt. Anthony Repalone, a Nassau County police spokesman. Four or
five other people suffered minor injuries, he said.
Ellen Davis, a spokeswoman at National Retail Federation, said the
group knew of no other incident where a retail employee has died
working on the day after Thanksgiving.
Wal-Mart is working closely with police, company spokesman Dan Fogleman said.
"The safety and security of our customers and associates is our top
priority," Fogleman said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with them and
their families at this difficult time." SOURCE:AP NEWS.COM

(November 26, 2008 - New York, NY) To celebrate the release of E-40’s 14th studio album The Ball Street Journal on November 25th, LOUD.com and Warner Bros. Records are proud to present Retwittered: The Break Ya Ankles Remix Contest. LOUD.com and Warner Bros. urge all budding producers and E-40 fans to submit their best remix of the hit song “Break Ya Ankles”
to LOUD.com. E-40 will personally choose one winner, who will fly to
The Bay Area to meet with the legendary hip-hop star and his son Droop-E in the studio. In addition, the winner will broadcast live backstage at an E-40 show using a Nokia Kyte phone. The second place winner will receive the complete Rane Serato Scratch Live set-up, which bridges the worlds of vinyl and digital audio files and while the third place winner will receive a copy of Ableton Live 7 LE, which provides musicians an intuitive interface and professional features for recording, songwriting, remixing, and DJ’ing. Interested participants are directed to download the a cappella of “Break Ya Ankles” here: http://www.loud.com/contest/break-ya-ankles-remix,
produce their own original beat, and submit their entry to the LOUD.com
community. In addition to the prizes mentioned above, LOUD.com will
interview the winner, post a webisode compiling footage from their
studio and show experience, and post the winning remix on their
homepage, E-40.com, and MySpace.com/E40. E-40 is a rap innovator, a business-savvy tycoon, and one of the music
industry’s most consistent success stories. The man with the terrific
tongue returns with his most polished product to date, the
imaginatively titled The Ball Street Journal.
"This traces everything from the beginning to now," E-40 explains.
“I’ve been through hard times and I've been through good times. It's
like a discography of my life." The Ball Street Journal hit
the streets on 11/25 on Warner Brothers / Sick Wid It Records.
Retwittered: The Break Ya Ankles Remix Contest closes on December 9th
and the lucky winner will be announced on December 30th. Good luck -
but don't get it twittered! Contest Instructions and Rules:http://www.loud.com/contest/break-ya-ankles-remixMySpace.com: MySpace.com/E40 / Imeem.com: Imeem.com/artists/e-40Serato:http://www.serato.comAbleton: http://www.ableton.com/newsletterPR Contacts: bmunson[at]loud.com: 212.331.2621 or michelle[at]audibletreats.com: 718.768.7275

It is always fun at the end of each year to celebrate the best of that
year. And in the midst of a music industry that is trying to redefine
itself, 2008 gave us a lot of great music to celebrate. And so we've lassoed our music critics to each pick five of their
favorites, which we've assembled below in alphabetical order (by artist
name). These are uniformly releases with which you can't go wrong --
or so our critics say. Looking for a Christmas gift for a music lover?
Then spend some time with these winners.This was tough stuff for us. Many of us had way more than
five choices and had to limit them. Others had favorite choices who
were already taken by another writer (sorry Angela J, but Christian had
already picked you!). So, imperfect as they are, here are the
selections from Peggy Oliver (PO), BJ Bunneh (BB), Christian
John Wikane (CJW), Chris Rizik (CR), David Nathan (DN), L. Michael
Gipson (LMG), Detrel Howell (DH) and Howard Dukes (HD). Also,
each album cover is a link to either CD Baby or Amazon, where you can
generally listen to clips from the disc or where you can purchase it.CHECK OUT THE LIST

About 100 people gathered before dawn Tuesday for a candlelight vigil
and prayer service on the second anniversary of the fatal police
shooting of an unarmed man on his wedding day that sparked outrage in
the black community.The Rev. Al Sharpton and Sean Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell,
led the memorial on the street in Queens where the 23-year-old black
man was killed
outside a strip club on Nov. 25, 2006 after leaving his bachelor's
party.At precisely 4:10 a.m. -- the time of the shooting -- the mourners
rang a large bell 50 times to mark the number of bullets fired at the
Bell and two of his
friends, who were seriously injured.After laying wreaths and flowers, the group marched half a mile to a church, where Sharpton held a prayer service. "The idea is to commemorate the second anniversary and to continue to push for a federal case," Sharpton said later.At a non-jury trial in April, a judge acquitted three police
officers of state charges that included manslaughter, assault and
reckless endangerment.The officers -- undercover detectives investigating reports of
prostitution at the club -- said they opened fire because they thought
one of the men was
reaching for a gun. No weapon was found.The shooting and subsequent acquittals of the officers ignited
protests and raised questions about whether the NYPD was too quick to
use excessive force
against minorities.Last week, Bell's family and their lawyers met privately with
federal prosecutors to discuss a possible civil rights case against the
shooters."They've assured them they were doing a full investigation,"
Sharpton said Tuesday. "We don't know what the outcome will be but ...
the family is still
demanding justice in this matter." U.S. Attorney Benton Campbell has
refused to comment on the private meeting."Sean Bell's civil rights were violated -- the right to go home unarmed and not be killed by police," Sharpton said.Among others in attendance Tuesday were Bell's parents and Joseph Guzman, one of the two men injured in the shooting."It seemed like it just happened all over again just being here,"
Bell's father, William Bell, told NY1 television. "The feeling hasn't
changed. It still hurts." SOURCE:NEWSDAY.COM

November 26, 2008

Singer/songwriter Al B. Sure! has become an “Unsung” hero thanks to TV One.The music maestro and radio
personality is the voice behind the cable network’s new show “Unsung”
that takes music fans down memory lane behind the scenes look at the
stories behind some celebrated stars with tragic stories.Beginning Thanksgiving night
and airing on four consecutive nights starting Sunday, Nov. 30, TV One
will premiere the series of one-hour biography specials that celebrate
the lives and careers of four of those accomplished artists or groups
who deserved – but didn’t make – the transition to superstardom.The first episode explores
the rise and fall of DeBarge, the family supergroup of the ‘80s that
was poised to take the music industry baton from the Jackson 5. Sure,
who worked with El DeBarge on the Quincy Jones track “Secret Garden”
considered this particular story as close to home.“I think the most important
thing was the validity of the story. I think they nailed it on the head
in terms of sticking to the truth,” Sure said. “The only thing that I
would have a problem with is if the story was inaccurate. They were
pretty much accurate and sticking to the story and talking to the
family and getting it straight from the horses mouth.”Sure explained that he was
able to see some of the footage gathered by the show’s producers. He
said that it was something that was really close to home in regard to
being passionate about music and dealing with the industry – “as a big
monster.” That connection and that fact that he’d only be a part of the
project if it was an honest portrayal, and he guaranteed that there
were no “inside sources” involved in the “Unsung” episodes.This is actually the family
and friends and the artists themselves speaking on behalf of what their
story is so that you have an accurate description of what transpired,”
he said. “This particular series is the exception to the rule. ‘Unsung’
can now be that catapulting step that will depict the truth and let you
walk through that journey with them about how it all went down. The
most surprising thing that I learned was that when Motown signed the
whole DeBarge family, it was almost a business transaction to
transgress out of the Jacksons into the DeBarges.”Sure agreed with EUR’s Lee
Bailey that Motown saw DeBarge as being potentially bigger than the
Jacksons in part because of their look. SOURCE: EURWEB.COM

November 25, 2008

The nation's foreclosure crisis has arrived on the doorstep of
Wyclef Jean's Miami property.According to TMZ.com, Miami-Dade County will auction off the house he was still building on Dec. 12 because the singer owes $2 million in mortgage payments. Comedian Sheryl Underwood gets to keep her title as president of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority following a ruling Wednesday by Washington D.C. Superior Court Judge Gerald I. Fisher dismissed a lawsuit filed by Kim Sawyer who, after losing a close race in July, sought to unseat Underwood. Sawyer claimed that she was the International Grand Basileus, the official title of the organization’s national president. She then asked the court to declare that Underwood did not receive a majority of the votes cast at the national convention, and sought a run-off election. Comedian Luenell says news of fellow standup comic Katt Williams having a reported nervous breakdown is an all-too-familiar story among black, male comedic superstars.The "Borat" actress cites Martin Lawrence, Richard Pryor and Dave Chappelle among famous funnymen who have suffered some sort of personal meltdown. "It seems to happen to the great minds that just sometimes may be on overload," she says. Members of rap collective The Roots escaped injury Thursday night and made a concert appearance just hours after a traffic accident caused their double-decker tour bus to flip over on a highway in France. A man accused of assaulting "Stargate Alantis" star Jason Momoa at a Hollywood restaurant on Nov. 15 has been charged in Los Angeles County.Dominic Bando, 21, is accused of smashing the actor in the face with a beer glass, causing gashes that required 140 stitches and reconstructive surgery to repair his injuries, reports the Associated Press. Prosecutors on Friday charged Bando with felony assault with a deadly weapon.General Motors released a press release this week announcing the end of the endorsement deal they've had with Tiger Woods for the last nine years effective December 31. The company says that Tiger is looking for more personal time while expecting his... Read more
At 44, Michelle Obama will be the youngest First Lady since Jacqueline Kennedy. And many are expecting her to usher in a similarly glamorous era in Washington. (”Bamelot,” as some are already calling it.) But Michelle’s influence could go far beyond the superficial. When her husband raises his hand to take the oath of office, Michelle will become the world’s most visible African-American woman. The new First Lady will have the chance to knock down ugly stereotypes about black women and educate the world about American black culture more generally. (Continue Reading…)After a sloooooooooow start, True Blood finally became interesting. I started watching out of curiosity (sweet ad campaign, HBO), kept watching out of loyalty (Six Feet Under is just so great), and finished watching because it got kind of awesome. Most of my friends stopped after the first couple of episodes, but that's when it finally got good. I was bummed when the first season ended last night, and not just 'cause I won't get to see a shirtless Ryan Kwanten until next summer (well, there's always On Demand). Some finale...Over the weekend, MTV Base held the first annual MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs) in Abuja, Nigeria, and a convenient number of Nigerians took awards in the major categories, including Artist of the Year D'Banj, who performed onstage with Kelly Rowland during the show. The Game also traveled over there to do a little medley of hits for the crowd and was rewarded with a loss in the Best Hip Hop category to our man 9ice, from Lagos, who also beat out Lil Wayne. Seun Kuti did a tribute to his father with Egypt 80 and Alicia Keys called in an acceptance speech for her Best R&B award. Unfortunately,
FADER 52 feature Kwaw Kese lost out to, surprise, Nigerian Naeto C in the Best New Act category, but he'd already backed out of the show to perform at the semi-disastrous Zain 026 Experience in Ghana the same night. Mobile service provider Zain, incidentally, sponsored the MAMAs also. So, in celebration of of the MAMAs successful launch, we're offering up D'Banj's "Why Me," which sounds a little Akon-ish at first, but don't sleep on the weird, womping synth melody and harmonica solo toward the end. Download:D'Banj, "Why Me"

Thousands of fans, celebrities, and well-wishers—even President-Elect Barack Obama—have reached out to Jennifer Hudson since the brutal slayings of the Oscar winning singer/actress' mother, brother and nephew. Everyone that is except her Dreamgirls co-star Beyoncé Knowles. MediaTakeOut first reported this interesting trivia two weeks ago and Beyoncé confirms the report. "On Friday, radio personality Elvis Duran asked whether she reached out to Jennifer since the tragedy. Beyonce responded, and we quote, 'No, but I’m praying for her.' "While her Destiny’s Child bandmate was getting ready to rock the American Music Awards stage, singer Kelly Rowland
was holding it down in Nigeria at the 1st Annual MTV Africa Music
Awards. Kelly performed with a slew of African and Ameriacn artists,
including D’banj, The Game and Flo Rida. Miss Kelly also acted as
co-host for the evening and even accepted Alicia Keys‘
award for best R n’B Artist, on her behalf. As many of you know Alicia
was getting ready for her American Music Awards performance- but still
the sista found time to record a video thank you for all her African
fans. As for Kelly, she continues to find much success overseas and is
already working on the follow up to her 2007 release, Miss Kelly. Kanye West spoke with Hot 97’s Angie Martinez on the release day of his fourth album, 808s & Heartbreak. Listen to the full interview below. Audio: Kanye West on “The Angie Martinez Show”

The singer Prince was asked about religion, politics, abortion and Proposition 8 in a profile in the New Yorker. Here's his response: "You've got the Republicans, and basically
they want to live according to [the Bible]. But there's the problem of
interpretation, and you've got some churches, some people, basically
doing things and saying it comes from here, but it doesn't. And then on
the opposite end of the spectrum you've got blue, you've got the
Democrats, and they're, like, 'You can do whatever you want.' Gay
marriage, whatever. But neither of them is right."Asked about his perspective on social issues—gay marriage,
abortion—Prince tapped his Bible and said, “God came to earth and saw
people sticking it wherever and doing it with whatever, and he just
cleared it all out. He was, like, ‘Enough.’ ”Hold on. The miniature singer who used to perform in bikini briefs, leg warmers and platform boots said what?This is the effeminate musician who played the androgyny card big
time with his wild, sexy costumes and provocative lyrics to create
album-selling controversy?The guy whose music was so darn dirty that it inspired Tipper Gore to slap parental advisory stickers on music deemed not suitable for minors?He’s now against gays having equal rights? Wow. Talk about alienating your base. According to Perez Hilton, the New Yorker piece is dead wrong. He quotes a source close to Prince
as saying that the New Yorker piece is "grossly misquoted" and all
wrong. Something about the reporter not using a tape recorder? Read
Prince's defense here. But the New Yorker stands by its story. Prince's anti-gay statement is already reverberating around Los
Angeles' gay community. At Train, a popular West Hollywood gym, openly
gay spin instructor Tevia Celli told her packed Sunday morning class that she had removed all Prince songs from her playlists. What do you think? Is Prince, now a converted Jehovah’s Witness,
totally off base? Will you continue to buy and listen to his music? Or
do you agree with him? SOURCE:LATIMES.COM

September 2012

Comments Policy

The opinions expressed on the blog are the personal opinions of the posted respective blogger(s), and in no way reflect the opinions of KIRO blogspot and its affiliate social networks.

Comments Policy

Comments are welcomed and encouraged on this site, but there are some instances where comments will be edited or deleted as follows: Comments deemed to be spam or questionable spam will be deleted. Including a link to relevant content is permitted, but comments should be relevant to the post topic. Comments including profanity will be deleted. Comments containing language or concepts that could be deemed offensive will be deleted.
Comments that attack a person individually will be deleted.
The owner of this blog reserves the right to edit or delete any comments submitted to this blog without notice. This comment policy is subject to change at anytime.